Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.

Sung-Joon Byun

Jong-Beom An

Min-Young Heo

Hyung-Jin Yun

Jin-Soo Kim

Jung-Taek Lim

Byung-Kwen Park

Soo-Won Lee

Sung-Cue Choi

Geun-Hee Lyoo

Jung-Teak Lim

Disclosed is a system for moving substrates in and out of a manufacturing process. The present invention comprises an automatic transfer device for automatically transferring a cassette that stores substrates, a manual transfer device for transferring the cassette according to instructions of an operator, and a process apparatus for performing predetermined jobs on the substrate stored in the cassette, wherein the process apparatus comprises: a port on which the cassette is temporarily placed by the automatic transfer device or the manual transfer device; a loader which has a sensor to receive a communication start signal transferred from the automatic transfer device when the cassette is transferred by the automatic transfer device; and a job table on which actual jobs on the substrates, stored in the cassette, are performed, and wherein when the cassette is placed on the port, the process apparatus checks whether the communication start signal is received by the sensor, and when the signal is received, it is determined that the cassette has been transferred by the automatic transfer device, such that the process apparatus is set in an automatic transfer mode, and when the signal is not received, it is determined that the cassette has been transferred by the manual transfer device, and therefore, the process apparatus is set in a manual transfer mode. The present invention improves productivity and efficiency.

System and method for moving substrates in and out of a manufacturing process

Disclosed is an in-line apparatus system that comprises a plurality of sub-apparatuses, a host, a plurality of apparatus controllers, and a master controller. The sub-apparatuses perform predetermined jobs on the substrates. The host stores information on the substrate to be processed in the sub-apparatuses and information on jobs performed by the sub-apparatuses. The apparatus controllers respectively control substrate jobs in the sub-apparatuses according to the information on the substrates and jobs, and are interconnected through a network and share information on the substrates. The master controller, connected to the apparatus controllers, controls the apparatus controllers and receives job information of the sub-apparatuses from the apparatus controllers and transmits the job information to the host. The in-line apparatus system and its control method enable overall easy control and increase reliability.

System and method for controlling an in-line apparatus

Disclosed is a system for selectively managing workpieces used in the process of manufacturing semiconductor elements. The present invention comprises equipment for receiving a cassette having a plurality of workpieces and for executing a job on the workpieces; a database having job schedules on the workpieces and information on the cassette; and a controller for referring to workpiece information and job schedule information from the database and controlling the job of the equipment when the cassette is loaded into the equipment. This system provides for loading a cassette with workpieces equipment, and at the same time an equipment server and a host refers to job schedules of the workpieces from a file server, and select workpieces to be processed by the equipment. Since the selected workpieces are processed with different job schedules, the equipment can be automatically and remotely driven without manual mechanical manipulation and operator handling.

System for selectively managing workpieces and a method for controlling the same

Disclosed are a system for workpiece cutting and sorting automation, and a method for controlling the system. The system includes a cutting/sorting equipment for cutting a substrate having a plurality of cells into cut substrates, and sorting the cut substrates according to a predetermined mode; and a system controller for receiving a request for operation information on the cut substrates from the cutting/sorting equipment, and transmitting the operation information and operation commands to the cutting/sorting equipment. The method includes the steps of (a) determining an operating mode of the cut substrates; (b) sorting the cut substrates and supplying the sorted cut substrates to one of the plurality of cassettes according to the operating mode of the cut substrates determined in step (a); and (c) repeating steps (a) and (b) for a predetermined lot number of cut substrates.

Cutting and sorting automation system and method for manufacturing a liquid crystal device using the same

An etching system and method. In the method, layers are etched on a plurality of substrates using a single amount of etchant to form a predetermined pattern on each of the layers, wherein an etching period varies according to an accumulated process number of substrates. The system includes an etching equipment including an etching processor for etching layers on a plurality of substrates using a single amount of etchant to form a predetermined pattern on each of the layers, and a loader for temporarily holding cassettes in which the substrates are stored; and a controller for controlling operations of the etching equipment. The etching equipment changes an etching period according to an accumulated process number of the substrates.

Variable time etching system according to the accumulated number of devices being processed and a method for etching in the same manner

Disclosed is an apparatus for unloading substrates. The apparatus includes a handling station, a conveying robot, and a process apparatus controller. The handling station arranges substrates having different sizes and processed by a prior process apparatus. The conveying robot lifts the substrate arranged on the handling station and loads the substrate to a predetermined position on a cassette or a subsequent process apparatus. The process apparatus controller controls the arrangement of the substrate or motions of the conveying robot so that the substrate is loaded on the predetermined position of the cassette or the subsequent process apparatus. The unloading apparatus according to the present invention adjusts the position on which the substrate is placed in the handling station according to the size of the substrate or adjusts a rotational arc of the conveying robot so that the substrate is loaded to a secure position on the cassette or subsequent process apparatus.

Apparatus and method for unloading substrates

Disclosed is an automation system and a method for assembling a workpiece. The system includes a first stocker having a plurality of first substrates with a plurality of grades of defects, and a second stocker having a plurality of second substrates to be paired with one of the first substrates, and having a plurality of grades of defects. The second stocker receives the grade of the first substrate and selects the second substrate with a grade corresponding to the grade of the received first substrate. The workpiece is assembled by receiving one of the first substrates and determining the grade of the received first substrate. The grades of the second substrates in a cassette is surveyed and determined if there is a second substrate with the same grade as the received first substrate. One of the second substrates is selected if it is determined that there is a second substrate with a grade corresponding to that of the received first substrate. The selected second substrate is placed in a new cassette. The first substrate and the second substrate are simultaneously supplied to respective production lines. If it is determined that there are no second substrates with the same grade as the received first substrate, the first substrate is held on stand-by.

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Choongcheongnam-do, South Korea

Sung-Joon Byun